JYJ to Break New Ground with Germany, Spain Concerts

JYJ will hold concerts in Spain and Germany from next month, marking new territory for a Korean pop group, its agency C-JeS Entertainment said.

The popular boy band will play at the 24,000-capacity Palau Sant Jordi Stadium in Barcelona, Spain on Oct. 29, following in the footsteps of international stars like Ricky Martin and Deep Purple.

Later, on Nov. 6, the band will perform in Germany. Although the location has yet to be confirmed, the 3,500-capacity Tempodrom in Berlin is among the likely candidates, its agency said. English pop opera tenor Paul Potts recently appeared there.

"I'm excited about being the first Korean pop group to hold concerts in Germany and Spain, but there is also a certain amount of pressure to make sure we do a good job," said band member Kim Jun-su, in an interview with the Chosun Ilbo.

"We are rehearsing intensively to make sure we put on a great show for local K-pop fans."

JYJ has previously only performed in Asia and North America. According to its agency, requests flooded in from different parts of Europe after Warner Bros released the band’s first English album "The Beginning" last October. This was followed by concerts in Canada and the U.S.

C-JeS said it picked Barcelona and Berlin because the two cities are cultural hubs within both their own countries and in Europe. "They represent centers where people from North, East and West Europe can gather," it said.

JYJ was formed when three of the original pop quintet TVXQ sued their parent company SM Entertainment in 2009 and left to form their own band. They have subsequently delved into musicals, TV dramas and soundtrack work.